The prospect may exist later Sunday for just a single-game suspension by copping an early guilty plea for dangerous play after being charged “with dropping or driving” Blues forward Peter Saili into the ground.

Either way, Slipper’s form surge and the authority to the Reds’ best scrums has been stalled by the post-game citing because he will only be a spectator for next Sunday’s match against the Crusaders.

Reds coach Richard Graham’s slow-motion examination of Slipper’s tackle indicated Saili first made contact with the Eden Park turf with a hand and elbow. His shoulder and upper back did thud into the turf which is where Slipper’s problem will be with the Kiwi judicial officer assigned his case.

Ben Tapuai makes a charge for the Reds against the Blues at Eden Park.Source:Getty Images

Western Force lock Ben McCalman was suspended for two weeks in March for a dangerous lifting tackle when his record of good behaviour halved his time.

Slipper, 24, has never been suspended in five seasons of top level rugby and the angst that he will be able to do nothing to help the Reds out of their hole was etched on his face when he flew home to Brisbane on Saturday.

As the pressure mounts on his poor three-win, seven-loss ledger as Ewen McKenzie’s successor, Graham said panic and knee-jerk selection calls were no solution.